Kukla's Korner Hockey

ESPN's Pierre LeBrun's Friday night "rumblings" first aired on TSN's "Insider Trading" segment, and I was tipped off to it by a QMI News Agency story noting that Sidney Crosby received a punch to his jaw by one Zdeno Chara during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final (take the fact that the Penguins provided the video to TSN for what you will).

The Insider Trading video isn't available in YouTube format, so here are its highlights, as related by Darren Dreger, Bob McKenzie, James Duthie and LeBrun:

As the NHL Awards are being held in Chicago, "Insiders" have apparently learned via players' travel schedules who has won certain awards. McKenzie says that the leak about P.K. Subban winning the Norris Trophy is true, and the fact that Jonathan Huberdeau is heading to Chicago indicates that he will win the Calder Trophy; Dreger says that attendance is not mandatory, and neither Crosby nor John Tavares are going to Chicago, but nor is Alex Ovechkin, who will win the Hart Trophy and make a via-video acceptance speech (the awards will be handed out during the CBC and NBCSN's pre-game shows at 7 PM EDT tonight);

As LeBrun stated in his "rumblings," the Montreal Canadiens want to grab Bryan Bickell given that Marc Bergevin was once the Hawks' assistant GM; Patrice Bergeron will get an 8-year contract extension; Dreger says that the Flyers will work on an extension with Claude Giroux, and Sergei Bobrovsky's agent will touch base with Jarmo Kekaliainen; and LeBrun says that TEN teams have been contacted about Jonathan Bernier's trade availability;

And then the gents wrap things up with Crosby being popped in the jaw.

Per the QMI Agency story, here's the punch, which Chara denies was illegal or penalty-worthy:

Crosby was busy hawing ans slashing Chara behind the net; what did he think would happen?

Posted by
mrfluffy
from A wide spot on I-90 in Montana on 06/15/13 at 12:25 PM ET

Chara needs to do that to Hossa and Kane.

I might start watching a few more Panthers games next season since it looks like they will get Drouin or MacKinnon in the draft to play along with Huberdeau.
Drouin will probably drop down to Steve Yzerman’s bolts.

Remember last year when Shanny was the butt of the Award show jokes by that lame comedian whatever his name was. I wonder if little gary is still off limits to mock in this years skits?

Shanny gotta be getting sick of playing the punching bag for his law firm bosses.